The arcane corrupts anyone who uses it. Left alone, the Well's energy was the engine of evolution on Azeroth, but used by mortals, it is corrupting. It is like fire. Stand by it, it gives you warmth. Touch it and you'll get burned. The arcane was not meant to be used by mortals.

No, it doesn't. And so you say fire corrupts too? Lol
Ya, Arcane is dangerous in the wrong hands, so is a gun or a sword or leadership of a group of nations *cough* Garrosh Hellscream *cough*. Why does everyone need to think its a corrupting force? Malicious intentions =/= corruption. Azshara and the Highborne were not CORRUPTED by the Arcane, they wanted more and more power. If they were corrupted by anything it was their own ambition leading them to wage war on their people, abandon Elune, and seek to bring Sargeras into the world...

The High Elves took this to such extremes, that magic itself was like heroine to them. Once they stopped having a super-powerful way to keep the magic saturating them, they went into horrible withdrawals. Sucking the Fel magic out of demons was the only way they could sate the hunger until the Sunwell was reignited.

Those whom were weak and without conviction did, the others refused to suck the magic out of living things and then demons to "survive" because they knew they didn't have to, hence the schism between High Elf and Blood Elf, and the reason the Quel'dorei's eyes don't glow green. It's a matter of personal willpower, self-control, and strength. Most people simply don't have it. Doesn't mean there aren't those who can control it...

If you want a close example of what Arcane is from another medium, think "The Force". It's not good nor bad, but those that take part in it's practice, without discipline, can get lost in the darker side of it.

One could argue the same about the Light, or Nature and Elements. Scarlet Crusade, Twilight Shamans, etc. etc.

---------- Post added 2012-11-27 at 07:14 PM ----------

Originally Posted by UnifiedDivide

That's actually better described as mutation, not evolution.
Though the two are remarkably close to one another I'd say.

As I said, the two are close enough to effectively be one and that same. In regards to the Vrykul and their human baby, that is mutation. The mutation is generally a new form of being closely related to it's 'parent' but different in ways that help it survive certain things. Then, as the mutation happens more and more, it's called evolution.

As I said, the two are close enough to effectively be one and that same. In regards to the Vrykul and their human baby, that is mutation. The mutation is generally a new form of being closely related to it's 'parent' but different in ways that help it survive certain things. Then, as the mutation happens more and more, it's called evolution.

As I said, the two are close enough to effectively be one and that same. In regards to the Vrykul and their human baby, that is mutation. The mutation is generally a new form of being closely related to it's 'parent' but different in ways that help it survive certain things. Then, as the mutation happens more and more, it's called evolution.

Mutation causes evolution. It is not, itself, evolution, just like a spark plug is not an engine on it's own.

No, it doesn't. And so you say fire corrupts too? Lol
Ya, Arcane is dangerous in the wrong hands, so is a gun or a sword or leadership of a group of nations *cough* Garrosh Hellscream *cough*. Why does everyone need to think its a corrupting force? Malicious intentions =/= corruption. Azshara and the Highborne were not CORRUPTED by the Arcane, they wanted more and more power. If they were corrupted by anything it was their own ambition leading them to wage war on their people, abandon Elune, and seek to bring Sargeras into the world...

I did not say that fire corrupts. I said that it burned if you touch it, but gave warmth if you leave it be. Same with arcane magic. It was never meant to be used directly by mortals by the titans, but as a mean to help life develop on Azeroth. Arcane magic is highly addictive. People who use it want more and more power, they crave it. They become haughty and proud. Azshara wanted more and more power and was seduced by Sargeras and his fel magic, which is a more powerful and even more corrupting form of arcane magic. So yes, they were corrupted, if only moraly, by their use of arcane magic. However , we know that some of them craved so much magic that they accepted to become demons themselves (Satyrs, Illidan). Now if that's not corruption, I don't know what it is. If they simply left the Well be, like the night elven priesthood did, they would not have been so tempted to accept Sargeras's offer and would have been happy with the immortality it brought them.

---------- Post added 2012-11-28 at 04:05 AM ----------

Originally Posted by Constellation

The last Emperor of Pandaria

The pandaren were no stranger to the night elves. In the days before the Sundering, there were pandaren who sought out the kaldorei. Whether or not the two races were on good terms prior to Azshara's reign is unclear. However, once Azshara came into power and her Highborne began experimenting with the Well of Eternity, a small contingent of pandaren explorers traveled to the Highborne with a gift -- a box that contained all the arcane power the kaldorei would ever need.

The box was empty, the message clear. It was a warning to the Highborne from the pandaren people, a warning that the kaldorei didn't bother to heed.

Interesting pieace of info, thank you. What is the warning ? That the Kaldorei needed no arcane magic. Why? Because it is dangerous and corrupting.